Apparatus for installing collapsible tubular rivets



May 19, 1942 H. l.. TRm'MmNY 2,283,703

APPARATUs FOR INSTALLING cQLLAPsIBLE TUBULAR RIvETsI F'iled July 20, 1940 :7L/ENEL- Patented May 19, 1942 APPARATUS FOR INSTALLING COLLAPSIBLE TUBULAR RIVETS Herbert L. Trautmann, Venice, Calif., assignor, by f mesne assignments, to The B. F. Goodrich Company, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application July 20, 1940, Serial No. 346,591

9 Claims.

This invention relates to apparatus for installn ing and collapsing tubular collapsible rivets and is especially useful for installing rivets lof the tubular type shown in the Waner patents, Nos. 2,149,199 `and 2,188,422. Inthe manufacture and repair of airplanes and of other articles having a thin metal surface, it has often been necessary to insert collapsible tubular rivets from the outer face of the article through apertures provided therefor in the metallic surface covering. When the inner surface of the metal covering is inaccessible it is desirable to provide means for applying pressure to both ends of the rivet from the outside. Rivets of the type used for this purpose comprise a collapsible tubular stem portion hav- 'ing a flange at one end thereof for seating against the surface of the sheet metal.

The tubular stem portion of the rivet may be open or closed at its unanged end and is reduced in internal diameter at that end and threaded to engage a screw for securely fastening other parts to the surface of the sheet metal.- The stem between the flanged end and the threaded end of the rivet is adapted to be axially compressed and circumferentially expanded so as to provide a second flange at the rear face of the sheet metal to hold the rivet in place. A key formed on the flanged end of the rivet is adapted to engage a keyway in the opening to prevent turning of the rivet.

The present invention contemplates the provision of power operated means for inserting and collapsing therivet in place. The principal objects of the inventionare to provide for the application of controlled mechanical force to thev rivet in an axial direction to compress the same:

. to provide power means forengaging and disengagirg the compressing means with the rivet, to provide simplicity of structure; to provide speed and efficiency of operation; to provide uniformity of compression of the rivets, and to provide convenience of operation. These and other objects will appear from the following description an the accompanying drawing:

Of the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a cross-sectional.elevation of the apparatus with the comprising mechanism shown in its retracted position and with the draw-rod twirling mechanism shown in the position it assumes in fully engaging the rivet, the disengaged position cf the twirling mechanism and the advanced position of the rivet collapsing mechanism being indicated in dot-and dash lines, the rivet not being shown;

toward the rivet engaging face thereof, the lower part of the apparatus being broken away;

Fig.V 3 is a cross-sectional view takenon line 3 3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional View taken on line 4 4 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a detailed sectional vieW taken on line 5 5 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is a detailed sectional view of the valve taken on line 6 6 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 7 is avalve diagram illustrating the operation of the control valves;

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the operating end of the draw-rod with a rivet in place thereon before collapse of the rivet, the rivet being par-v tially broken away and shown in section; and

Fig. 9 is a cross-sectional view of the collapsed rivet and the sheet metal facing with the drawrod and anvil engaging the same, the draw-rod -to the nose and adapted to be locked by a lock nutl Il engaging the `threads of the anvil and the face of the nose. A threaded draw-rod I8 lfor use in collapsing the rivet by motion relative to the anvil is slidably mounted in the bore of the anvil and its projecting end is threaded as at I9 or otherwise adapted to engage the bore of the rivet ,at the end thereof remote from the ange. The rear end of the draw-rod extends through the bore of a threaded tubular cap 20 which engages over the plunger I2 and is formed with an enlarged head 2|' freely rotatable Within the cap 20 and having` a tang 22 extending crosswise thereof by which it may be rotated. The plunger l2 has an axial bore I2a extending to cap 20 in which a shaft 23 is rotatably mounted. This shaft has an enlarged head 24 on its forward end locatedwithin cap 20 and slotted crosswise thereof to eng-age the tang 22. The other end of the shaft 23 has a pinion 25 fixed thereto whereby the shaft 23 and draw-rod I8 may be rotated. A ball bearing 26 is mounted in a rebate in the rearward end of the plunger I2 and about the Y Fig. 2 is an end view of the apparatus looking 55 shaft 23 to reduce friction of rotation. The en..

rod. A tubular bearing 28 is mountedvin the bore and retained by the screw plug 29 at one end thereof threaded in the forward end of the bore and a set screw 30 engaging a side face o f the bearing. The tube 28 has a longitudinal slot 3| therethrough extending substantially the entire length thereof. A helically grooved cam rod- 34 is slideably mounted in the tube and is prevented from turning with respect thereto by a key 35 slideably engaging in the slot 3| of the tube. This rod has a groove 319 of relatively long pitch formed in its face and in engagement with f a key 31 of a gear 36, the arrangement being such that movement of the cam rod lengthwise of the tube will rotate the gear 36 which in turn will rotate the draw-rod through the pinion fixed to shaft 23.

For moving the cam rod 34 lengthwise, a threaded recess 40 is formed in the rear face of the stock I0 and a cylinder 4I having an externally threaded portion at its open end engages in the recess. A wear resisting tubular liner 42 is fitted in the bore of the cylinder. piston 43 is fitted in the liner for sliding movement lengthwise of the cylinder and is attached to the cam rod 34. For supplying fluid under pressure to the cylinder 4|, a threaded aperture 58 is formed in the stock I8 to receive a hose connection and is connected by a passage 5I formed in the body I0 to a valve chamber 52 formed therein from which a passage 53 leads to the closed end of the cylinder 4I. 'Ihe passage 53 may be constructed as a longitudinal groove formed in the Wall of the cylinder between the cylinder wall and the liner 42. A valve 54 is slideably mounted in the valve chamber 52. This valve is of the piston type and a piston flange 55 thereon normally is located between passages 5| and 53 and therefore normally closes off the passage 5| from the passage 53 by reason of the valve spring 56 normally maintaining said flange 55 between said passages 5| and 53.'

The valve 54 may be shifted by hand pressure against the resistance of the spring 56 to' the position shown in Fig. 7 where the flange 55 uncovers the passage 5| and admits fluid undery pressure to the cylinder 4I, thereby advancing the piston 43 to the position shown in Fig. 1. Return of the piston 43 is provided for by a second passage 51 which extends from the valve chamber 52 to a chamber 58 formed in the stock I0 adjacent the threaded end of the cylinder 4| and in which the gears 25 and 36 are rotatably mounted. A disc 59 having ports 68 therethrough for flow of fluid is clamped between the cylinder 4| and the stock I0 and separates the chamber 58 from the cylinder 4|. The arrangement is such that in the normal position of the valve 54, the ange 55 thereof is between the passage 5| and the passage 53 and prevents the passage of fiuid from passage 5| to passage 53. At the same position passage 5| connects to passage 51 permitting i'luid under pressure to flow to chamber 58 and through the ports 60 in disc 59 so that the piston 43 is forced to the left in Fig.

1. At this position of the valve an exhaust passage 8I is connected through the valve chamber 52 to the cylinder 4| through passage 53 permitting exhaust iiuid from the left end of the cylinder 4| in Fig. 1 'to escape to the atmosphere. When valve 54 is pushed in against the pressure of spring 56, passage 51 connects chamber 58 to an exhaust port 85 which is closed by a piston flange'54a when valve 54 is released.

To provide for power operation of the drawrod to collapse the rivet, a cylinder 62 having a liner 64, is internally threaded as at 63 to engage over a threaded portion on the lower end of the stock I8 and communicates by means of a passage 61 with a valve chamber 68 formed in said stock. A piston type valve 69 is slideably mounted in the valve chamber 68 as-shown in Fig. '1 and is held in the'position shown in full lines by a coil spring 18 .between the valve and the end of its chamber. The valve chamber is connected to the iluid pressure .supply opening 50 by a passage 1I. The passage 61 in the normal position of the valve shown communicates with an exhaust passage 12 and is shut off from the fluid supply passage 1I by a piston flange 13 of the valve. When the valve is depressed against the spring 10 the ange 13 is moved to the left to a. position where it disconnects the passage 61 from the exhaust passage 12 and connects it to the supply passage 1I thereby supplying fluid pressure to the lower side of the piston 65 in the cylinder 62.

The plunger |2 which controls the draw-rod I8 is formed with notches such as 14 on opposite sides thereof and a lever 15 is pivoted within the hollow stock I0 on a pin 16 fixed to the stock. The upper end of the lever is bifurcated and its limbs are rounded at their ends to straddle the plunger I2 so as to engage in the notches 14. The lower end of the lever 15, which is of the rst class, carries an anti-friction roller 18. A wedge-shaped cam member 19 is pivotally xed to the piston 65 by a pin 80 and extends upwardly from the piston along a surface 8| of the stock I0 on which vit is adapted to' slide. The inclined face of the wedge 19 engages the anti-friction roller 18 and in the upward movement of the piston 65 forces the lower end of the lever 15 in a counter-clockwise direction in Fig. 1, whereby the draw-rod I8 is retracted. When the piston 65 is lowered the roller 18 follows the inclined surface of the wedge due to the fact that the lever 15 is rotated in a clockwise direction vby a spring 82 located in a recess 83 of the lever 15 about a pin 84 xed to the lever, one

- end of the spring, which is of hairpin shape, 1m-

pinging against the lever 15, and the other end impinging against a wall of the stock I0. Such lowering of the piston is accomplished by fluid pressure in chamber 56 to which the upper side of piston 65 is exposed, and is simultaneous with return of piston 43 as hereinbefore described.

Provision is made for regulation of the pressure used in the compressing of the rivet so that all rivets are compressed with equal pressure even though the pressure of the iiuid supply fluctuates. For this purpose a piston valve 98 is slideably mounted in the valve chamber a at the lower end of the cylinder. 'I'he chamber 98a is in the form of a passage extending dia.- metrically across the end of the cylinder through its end wall and this passage is closed at opposite ends by screw plugsv 9 I, 92 slotted for engagement by a screw driver or similar implement for adjustment. At the normal position of the valve 9U, a reduced portion 93 thereof is opposite the passage 66 and communicates with a port 94 formed in the end of the cylinder. Another port 95 is also formed in the end of the cylindner and at this position is opposite a reduced portion 96 of the valve 90. A coil spring 91 is located between the end of the valve 94 and the plug 9I and tension on the spring may be adjusted by adjustment of the screw plug 9|. The screw plug 92 limits the normal position of thevalve 90.

The arrangement is such that as the uid under pressure from the passage 61 enters the cylinder through the port 94 it builds up pressure in the cylinder until the fluid pressure acting through the port 95 against the end of the piston valve 99 forces it to the left in Fig. 5 thereby closing the port 94 and preventing the pressure in the cylinder from increasing further. The screw -plug 9| may be adjusted to so compress t e also returned'. The ends of the valves 54, 69 arev conveniently located so as to be engaged by the thumb and forefinger respectively of the operator when the cylinder 62 is grasped in the right hand of the operator.

The anvil member I8, due to its threaded connection to the nose I of the instrument, may be adjusted to extend over the draw-rod any desired amount to suit rivets of different lengths, or may be easily removed for replacement by anvils having` various shapes or contours to adapt them to different types of rivets. draw-rod may also be removed for replacement in case of breakage or for the purpose of substituting draw-rods of different dimensions by removing the nose I5 and the anvil attached thereto and then removing the cap 20 which holds the draw-rod to the end of the plunger I2. Theoperation of 'the apparatus is as follows:

The apparatus is ordinarily supported by the right hand of the operator, the cylinder 52 acting as a grip or handle. Air or other fluid under pressure is supplied to the connection 50 by a flexible hose. The operator rests his thumb upon the end of the valve 54 and his forenger upon the end of the valve 69. The rivet |00, shown in Fig. 8, is -held in the left hand of the operator and the end of the draw rod I8 is entered into the unthreaded bore of the rivet. The valve 54 is then depressed by the thumb of the operator causing chamber Ib to be opened to the atmosphere through passage 59, valve chamber 52, and exhaust port 85 and causing fluid under pressure from the connection 50 to pass through the passage 5I past the valve 54 and through passage 53 to the rear of the cylinder 4I where it forces the piston 43 forward and with it the helical cam rod y34 which causes the gear 36 and pinion 25 to rotate thereby rotating the shaft 23 extending through the plunger I2 and the drawrod I8 operatively connected thereto so that the draw-rod is threaded into the rivet. During this operation, the draw-redis in its forwardly extended position due to the pressure of the spring 83 and the presence of the piston 65 in the lower end of the cylinder 82.

The apparatus with the rivet IGI) in place thereon is then advanced to enter the stem of the rivet in an aperture in the work, the iiange The` 61 passes the valve 90 until suiiicient pressure is built up in the cylinder 62, port 95 and around the reduced portion 96 of valve 90 to cause the valve 90 to compress spring 91 and close port -94 leading into cylinder 62. The pressure in the cylinder raises the piston driving 'the wedge cam 'I9 along the surface 8| and thereby causingv rotation of the lever I5 in a counterclockwise direction by contact of the roller 'I8 with the inclined surface of the wedge, thereby forcing the plunger I2 rearwardly and withdrawing the draw-rod I8 through the anvil I6, resulting in collapse of the rivet, as illustrated in Fig. 9 where the draw-rod I8 is shown as engaging in the threaded portion of the rivet, and the work IU2 is engaged between the flange- IDI of the rivet and the collapsed portion ID3 of the rivet. Therev upon the operator releases both valves 54 and 69 and the pressure uid in the cylinder 4I is permitted to escape through the passage 53 past the valve 54 and' through the exhaust passage 6I, and the fluid pressure in the cylinder 62 is permitted to escape through the passage 67 past the valve 59 through the exhaust passage 12.

In this position of the valve portion 54a of valve 54 blocks exhaust passage 85 and fluid pressure is supplied to the chamber Illb` of the stock of the instrument by way of passages 5I and 5'! and pistons 43 and 65 are returned toward the closed ends of cylinders 4I and 62. The

return of piston 43 causes rotation of gear 36A by the following claims.

I claim:

l. Apparatus for installing an internally threaded tubular rivet, said apparatus comprising a housing having an anvil at one end, a threaded draw-rod in the housing and extending through and beyond the anvil and adapted to engage the threaded portion of the rivet, and poweroperated means associated with said housing and rod for effecting a longitudinal movement of the rod with respect to the anvil to collapse the rivet, the rod moving means comprising a fluid-pressure cylinder mounted upon the housing, a piston therein and cam means actuated by said piston for actuating said rod.

2. Apparatus for installing a rivet, said apparatus comprising means for applying a reactive force to the rivet, a draw-rod extending through said means andv adapted to engage the rivet, power-operated means for effecting a longitudinal movement of the draw-rod with respect to the rst said means to collapse the rivet, said power-operated means comprising means for retracting the draw-rod, cam means having an inclined surface for actuating the means for retracting said draw-rod, and a fluid pressure cylinder for actuating said draw-rod.

3. Apparatus for installing a rivet, said apparatus comprising means for applying a reactive force to the rivet, a draw-rod extending through said means and adapted to engage the rivet, power-operated means for eecting a longitudinal movement of the draw-rod with respect to the rst said means to collapse the rivet, and power-operated means to rotate the draw-rod to engage and release the rivet, said last named means comprising a helically formed member, means for imparting a movement of translation thereto, and means engaging said helically4 formed member for rotating said draw-rod.

4. Apparatusfor installing a rivet, said apparatus comprising means for applying a reactive forcc to the rivet, a draw-rod extending through said means and adapted to engage the rivet, power-operated means for eecting a longitudinal movement of the draw-rod with respect to the .first said means to collapse the rivet, and power-operated means to rotate the draw-rod to engage and release the rivet, said last named means comprising a rod having a helical groove, means for imparting a movement of translation to said rod, and a rotatable member engaging said helical groove and adapted to be rotated by translational movement of said rod.

5. Apparatus for installing a rivet, said apparatus comprising means for applying areactive force to the rivet, a draw-rod extending through said means and adapted to engage the rivet, power-operated means for effecting a longitudinal movement of the draw-rod with respect to the rst said means to collapse the rivet, and power-operated means to rotate the draw-rod to engage and release the rivet, said last named means comprising a rod having a helical groove, a uid operated cylinder for imparting a movement of translation to said rod, and a rotatable member adapted to be rotated by translational movement of said rod.

6. Apparatus for installing tubular rivets, said apparatus comprising an apertured reaction member, a draw rod extending through the aperture in said member and having a threaded end for engaging an internally threaded rivet, and means for eiecting relative longitudinal movement of said rod and member, said means comprising a cam structure and a cam follower and power-operated means for moving said cam structure including a pressure iiuid cylinder having a cam piston, and said cam structure comprising an elongated cam member mounted for advance and retraction by movement of said piston.

7. Apparatus for installing a rivet, said apparatus comprising means for applying a reactive force to the rivet, a draw-rod extending through said means and adapted to engage the rivet, and power-operated means for effecting a longitudinal movement of the draw-rod with respect to the rst said means to collapse the rivet, said power-operated means comprising means for retracting the draw-rod, and cam means having an inclined surface for actuating the means for retracting said draw-rod.

8. Apparatus for installing a rivet, said apparatus comprising means for applying a reactivel force to the rivet, a draw-rod extending through said means and adapted to engage the rivet, power-operated means for effecting a longitudinal movement of the draw-rod with respect to the iirst, said means to collapse the rivet, said power-operated means comprising means for retracting the draw-rod, cam meanshaving an inclined surface for actuating the means for retracting said draw-rod and fluid pressure means for actuating said cam means.

9. Apparatus for installing tubular rivets, said apparatus comprising an apertured reaction member, a draw-rod extending through the aperture in said member and having a threaded end for engaging an internally threaded rivet, and means for eiecting relative longitudinal movement of said rod and member, said means comprising a cam structure and a cam follower and power-operated means for moving said cam structure.

HERBERT L. TRAUI'MANN. 

